by Hope Stone
I was stunned. All areas of my life were elevating at a rapid rate. “Thank you!” I beamed at my boss and left the room.
All I thought about was the first person I wanted to share the news with—Colt. I ran out of the department to sit on the back step and called Colt’s phone.
“Hey!”
His husky laughter made me swoon. “Hey, pretty lady. Are we still on for tonight at my place?”
“Yes, we are. I wanted to share something with you.”
“Please.” He waited patiently.
“I just got a promotion! I can’t believe it.”
“Baby, I’m so happy for you. We can have a celebration tonight. Glad you told me now. And the great thing is your brother will be riding in.”
My mood dropped as soon as he said something about Hector. “Do you think they will find him? I’m not sure about things, Colt.”
“Let me paint this scenario for you. If they show up, I will call a whole gang of not only Russians but Outlaws, and they will be executed at first sight. A Las Balas crew member wouldn’t dare show up on an Outlaw Souls property unless they want bloodshed.”
“I trust you, Colt.”
“Do you? Because you seem shaky. I made a promise, and when I make one, I keep it,” Colt responded with conviction.
“I believe you. I can’t wait to see you and Bella tonight. I just have to keep things a little quiet here. I never really thought about us and how it would impact…you know, if anyone found out.”
“Baby. None of that shit is going to matter when you and I get married.”
I held the phone away from my face in shock. “Colt! We barely know one another. You are one crazy cowboy,” I proclaimed.
“No. I’m not. When you’re in jail with your life in your hands every single fucking day, you have time to contemplate what’s real in life. I know what I want. I lost Anna. I’m sure as hell not going to lose you, too. I didn’t say right now. I just feel what I feel, so I’m saying it,” Colt said vehemently. His strong-willed voice and resilience turned me on. A leak was springing between my legs. I breathed out slowly.
“Colt, you are…”
“I’m what? Talk to me, Amber. I need this.”
A presence floated around the back of me, and I angled to the left to see who it was. None other than Lucy with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. I shut down the phone like lightning, hanging up on Colt. I wondered how much she heard. I held my stomach in.
“So, I guess congratulations are in order.” The dry sarcasm in her tone was hard to miss.
“Not if it’s not genuine,” I fought back.
“Why wouldn’t it be genuine? I just want to say there is a huge breach of conflict of interest if you’re involved with a client. But you know that, right? Since you’re going to be my boss and all.”
She sucked in a breath through her teeth, and an evil smile came out.
“I don’t know why on earth you would be telling me that. I know the rules.” I felt the sweat trickling down my leg and into my shoes.
She gave a half-baked laugh, sauntering back to her desk.
Colt
I kept the guns away from the house. I didn’t want Bella’s eyes to ever come in contact with that part of my life. Not even my mother knew where the guns were stored. I climbed up to the attic of the barn. Underneath a heavy stack of hay, a large artillery box was housed. Enough bullets were in it to take out a whole army. I had a solid selection of military hand grenades and two semi-automatic pistols. I also had a long-range sniper rifle and a taser for good measure. I zeroed in and checked their chambers. They were loaded with bullets and ready to go. My secret weapons.
Amber’s voice rang loudly in my head. “What if they come to your house? What will you do?”
Time to lock in. No part of me waned in confidence. When you have the Russian mafia backing you, much is possible. These motherfuckers would blow your head off and return to eating breakfast like nothing happened. I knew because I’d seen it already. I flashed back to the vivid memory of that morning.
“So you want to play, you piece of shit?” Mikakov delivered a bone-crunching body blow to the dealer who dared cross him by not paying him for a drug trade.
An unwise street dealer was tied up with blood oozing from his swollen left eye. As he talked, blood bubbled up to his lips and stained his teeth. He spat it out. Both of his hands were tied behind him with rope. “I told you, motherfucker, I don’t know who has your money. If I did, I wouldn’t tell you, either. Eat shit and die.”
Bad move. Mikakov didn’t take too kindly to him saying that. He clenched his fists in his black leather gloves and simply said, “Okay. I’m going to give you another shot because I’m a nice guy.”
A large, wrinkly, bald-headed guy aimed his pistol straight at the dealer’s temple and fired. The bullet went clean through the center, right between the eyes.
Mikakov moved closer to the limp body and said, “No, motherfucker, you eat shit and die.” He looked to his crew, summoning them. They laughed, leaving the abandoned warehouse. “C’mon, let’s go eat breakfast.”
The sound of the pigeons cooing in the barn loft brought me back to the moment. Timely, as that’s when my phone rang.
“Hello?” The call was coming from a private number.
“Hi, Colt. It’s Hector. Close call.”
“How so? You’re nearly here, right? Your sister is going to be here for dinner tonight.”
“I’m on my way. Ran into an issue. Las Balas somehow found me in San Fran. I had to move locations. I moved to the second location, and somebody tipped them off. I got a call that they came looking at the second spot an hour after I left.” Hector’s voice was shaky with fear.
“Stay calm. You’re on the road, right?”
“Yeah. I’m about an hour away.”
“How do you think they’re tracking you?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t running in the same circles since I got out. Maybe they followed me.” Hector’s shaky voice let me know that danger could present itself. I peered down at my artillery. I had enough if something popped off. Bella’s girly laughter rang in my ears. I closed my eyes.
“Are you strapped?” I asked.
“Yes. I got a Glock. I’m good. I don’t want to bring trouble to your family, man. Maybe I should just keep riding, you know?”
“No. You’re not. We are going to face what’s coming. All the players are in place. You can’t back down now. We are going in headfirst. The Russians are on our side, so there’s no reason to be fearful. You will be safe here. They ain’t coming here to the farm.”
“See you soon.”
“Peace, brother. Ride safe.”
I closed the box but grabbed the semi-automatic. I tucked it in the back of my waistband, which I’d strapped up with a holster this morning.
I climbed down from the barn loft, walking with a purposeful stride to the house. I got another phone call when I got to the barn door and stopped. I read the screen—Amber.
“You hung up on me, baby,” I said.
“Sorry. I had to. A nosy work colleague was standing behind me, and I think she knows about us. I’m freaking out a little bit. If she reports me, it could turn into a whole investigation. I could lose my job, and they might send you back.” Amber’s sweet voice rushed through the phone with all kinds of scenarios.
“Baby. Does she have any proof of anything? Remember, you’re part of my parole. I have to see you by law to check up on my daughter. Even if you were talking to me on the phone, she can’t prove that you and I are together.”
A rush of air was expelled through the phone. “You’re right. That makes sense. See you tonight.”
“See you tonight. I’ll help you clear your head.” I let those words roll off the tongue silkily.
She giggled a little. “I’m sure you will find a way, Colt.”
We hung up, and as I stood at the barn door, I eyed Moonlight.
“Are you ready for me now? Is it time for us?
”
Moonlight neighed, her silky black coat shining in the Merced sun. Her head bobbed a few times in response. The equine beauty needed a rider, and that was me. On impulse, I walked to her stall door and stepped inside with the mighty horse. She backed away slightly. I breathed deeply—the dance between horse and man. I reached for her reins hanging on the left side. At this point, anything could happen. She could rear up and stomp on me. She could bite me, or she could surrender.
“Easy, Moonlight. It’s just you and me. I know you like you know me. We are wild, unkempt. Forces of nature.” As I moved in a stalking motion around Moonlight’s side, she shuffled her hooves away from me.
I heard a little voice behind me. “You just have to touch her star, and she will stay still, Daddy.”
“Bella, move back and don’t make sudden movements.” With no fear, Bella walked in between Moonlight and me. Moonlight bowed her head instantly, nuzzling Bella’s shoulder. Bella hugged her and rubbed the middle of her forehead.
I rubbed my eyes. Bella, the horse whisperer. “You know what I want to be when I grow up, Daddy?”
“What’s that, Bella?” While Bella had Moonlight in a vulnerable position, I put her saddle and her reins on.
“I want to ride and look after horses.”
I strapped Moonlight up and walked around the back of her hindquarters, feeling along as I went. The last thing I wanted was to get kicked in the teeth.
“You certainly have a way with her. Where did you learn that?”
Bella shrugged, her little pigtails shining in the daylight. “I don’t know. I just talk to Moonlight, and she listens. Don’t you, Moonlight? I love you. You’re such a good horse.”
“Yeah, think she’ll let me ride for a minute, just to keep her in shape?”
“Yes. She likes you. She was mad because you left her for a while.”
I scoffed. “Is that you or the horse talking, Bella?” I looked at the little brown eyes staring back at me.
“No. I wasn’t mad. I was sad. That’s all.”
Moonlight raised her head, and I walked her out of the barn.
“I’m sorry, Bella. Please forgive me. I made a mistake. Here, take the reins. I trust you with her. Got to get used to her sometime, if you want to train and work with horses.”
“Yay! It’s okay, Daddy. I know you didn’t mean it.”
I stroked the top of Bella’s head as I watched in complete astonishment. This little pint-sized kid had tamed the untamable horse. Moonlight trotted right alongside Bella and followed her every command.
“Un-fucking-believable.”
Amber
The water hit my face as I washed the grit and grime of the day down the drain. Another day of saving children from abandonment, assigning court dates, mental health check-ups for clients, and a plaguing concern for my brother. I toweled off as I thought about the men I was going to see. Colt with his cowboy swagger and huge, loyal heart and my little brother, a little lost but with good intent. I loved them both.
I slipped into an emerald green babydoll dress with leggings, something cute and girly, and put on some cute little boots. Colt inspired that. I pulled up into the driveway an hour later. Colt’s house looked so cozy and inviting. I felt as if I was walking into another part of the earth, not the dry, often dusty California hills of Merced. As soon as it came into my sight, I slipped into relaxation. Something truly sacred and captivating existed at this property. Maybe because of its carved-out trails that led into the back of the mountains or because of all the beautiful sounds of nature that existed. The sound of the brook was something I wouldn’t mind hearing every day.
My brother was standing on the front porch, puffing on a cigarette. I had to fumble around twice to get my car door open. It was hard to contain my excitement. I ran to him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He hugged me back, a little in shock from the barrage.
“You made it! Oh my God, you made it. I was so worried.” I touched his face and reared back to take a closer look at him. He held his cigarette to the side and blew out the smoke.
“I told you that I would be okay. I owe you. Both you and Colt. He’s a hell of a guy.”
“Yes, he is. He’s a very loyal and protective man.”
Colt stood on the porch with a look of amusement on his fine, chiseled face. “Am I?” Colt’s mouth cocked into a quiet smile as he snuck up from behind.
“That you are,” I confirmed.
“Only to the people who are loyal to me,” he clarified with a steely look in his blue eyes.
Hector regarded the conversation and continued puffing on his cigarette. Colt walked past my brother and kissed me solemnly on the mouth, stealing the breath right out of me. My brother cleared his throat conspicuously.
“I see what it is now. You two.” He grinned. “I’m glad you’re good together. Look after my sister, Colt.”
“That’s the only thing I plan to do,” he responded with an affectionate smile.
Colt put his arm around me, kissing my cheek. All of this affection in front of my brother made me a little shy. Colt seemed oblivious to my discomfort.
“When you find a good thing, Hector, don’t let it go.” Colt turned to me. “You look like heaven, baby.”
Even though it was kind of embarrassing, Colt made me feel loved and seen. Despite his harrowing past and the crazy set of circumstances that had brought us together, I loved this man. I just didn’t know quite how to say it.
Hector sucked in more nicotine and exhaled upward. “I’m too busy trying to stay alive to worry about women.”
I squeezed his arm. “You’ll find somebody for you, but I get that you need to stay out of harm’s way.”
Hector had let his hair grow out a little. He had a two o’clock shadow that made him appear more manly. I don’t know what happened in San Francisco, but something about his demeanor had changed. My little brother was growing up fast.
“Meh.” He shrugged his shoulders as we all floated inside.
Cheryl was at the kitchen counter, and the room smelled like spices and meat. I breathed in the heavenly aroma.
“Cheryl, is that casserole?”
“Yes, it is. Got a few more minutes to go, and then I will dish it up.”
I observed as she wiped her brow and stood back from the oven. “Do you want some help?”
She shooed me back into the living room. “No, go sit down. No help needed.”
Hector walked around, studying the pictures on the shelves as I plopped down on the couch. He picked up one of Colt on a horse with a lasso. “You really were a cowboy. This is insane. When did you do this?”
Colt replied, “I used to go to the rodeo every year to compete. I used to do barrel races as well. We had a bigger farm when I was little, more like a ranch, wasn’t it, Mom?”
She licked her fingers from the casserole dish. “Uh-huh. I loved that place. So many trails. Those were the good old days. All those fresh pine trees. You used to be outside for hours, playing with that lasso. I had a hard time calling you in at night. You were obsessed.”
Colt’s vibrant blue eyes sparkled at his mother’s recollection. “I know. I was a real scruff, too. Used to drag mud and dirt into the house.”
Colt talking about his family made me think of mine. Not like I got to see my parents much since they lived in Florida. I remembered what they’d said when I first came to Merced.
“Why do you need to go all the way over there? You can just stay here in Florida. Nothing wrong with this place. California ain’t got nothing on Florida if you ask me,” my mother had said. With her golden hair and tanned skin from the Florida sun, she thought it was the best place on earth. My father would follow whatever my mother said. He was a yes-man. Safe to say, my mother wore the pants.
“Mama. I want to see the other side of the country. I never thought I would get the job. I want to go see it. If I don’t like it, I can always come back.”
I felt myself smile. That had been over six years
ago. I had well and truly made a life here in Merced and would never look back.
Cheryl grabbed her potholder and got ready to take the casserole out. She continued talking about her son. “Bella is the spitting image of Colt on a horse. She’s got her daddy’s genes.”
“I don’t know what to do on a horse, but I sure know what to do on a bike.” Hector laughed as he set the picture down.
“Similar in a lot of ways. You treat her right, and she will do the same. Have to talk to them nicely,” Colt explained as he looked at me.
“Where is Bella?” I asked, looking around.
“Oh, she is out in the barn with my husband, Clive, who you haven’t met yet.”
“A real family affair,” Hector observed.
“Sure is.” Colt had snuggled in beside me on the couch and laced his fingers together with mine. He curved into me and spoke delicately into my ear. “Hector and I have some dealings to take care of, so we will be in the barn after dinner. Don’t be alarmed.”
I rotated my head in his direction. “I realize I have to trust you. I know nothing about settling scores. I want you to be careful and to know you are still on parole.”
His pensive face let me know he was heeding my warning. “I understand. I won’t do anything to put you or your brother in harm’s way.” He grabbed my hand and kissed it.
The sound of voices made me look up from our secret conversation. Bella came in, holding hands with an older gentleman. His face had been weathered by time, but he was the spitting image of Colt, only decades older. If this was any indication, Colt was going to age very well. The resemblance was so uncanny that it shook me a little. My eyes blinked to look at him again. He had the same build as Colt and wore black leather boots. His head was bald, and he was a little smaller in height. Colt must have gotten that from his mother. Clive was not hunched over and weakly by any means.
“Hello, everyone.” He scanned the room and took everyone in. He turned his focus to his son.
Colt unhooked from me and stood. The respect for his father was clear as soon as he set foot into the room. He met his father halfway, and they embraced for a long moment.